My Favorite Things

Here are a few of my favorite things! (sing in a Julie Andrew's voice similar to Sound of Music)

My Family!

The Temple!

Missouri! (mostly St. Louis though)

Teaching Swim Lessons!

Purple and Beaches!

California!

Elementary Education!

The Cardinals!

Swimming!

Country Girl

When I tell people I'm from St. Louis half the people think I'm from the south. This is incorrect. You'd think at BYU people would know their geography, but sometimes not so much. I'm actually not that offended by this much at all because I think I would be proud be a southern girl. I recently realized how much a REALLY love country music, plaid shirts, and cowboys. Some of my favorite songs are country songs by people like Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Kieth Urban, and Brad Paisley. You can't have a good movie without a good country song in it. AND I new obsession of mine is cowboy boots. I want some, but they're not practical so I don't NEED them. Maybe someday when practicality doesn't really matter. Here's one of my favorite Rascal Flatts songs.

So, so you made a lot of mistakes

Walked down the road a little sideways

Cracked a brick when you hit the wall

Yeah, you've had a pocket full of regrets

Pull you down faster than a sunset

Hey, it happens to us all

When the cold hard rain just won't quit

And you can't see your way out of it

CHORUS

You find your faith has been lost and shaken

You take back what's been taken

Get on your knees and dig down deep

You can do what you think is impossible

Keep on believing, don't give in

It'll come and make you whole again

It always will, it always does

Love is unstoppable

Love, it can weather any storm

Bring you back to being born again

oh, it's a helping hand when you need it most

A lighthouse shinning on the coast

That never goes dim

When your heart is full of doubt

And you think that there's no way out

CHORUS

You find your faith has been lost and shaken

You take back what's been taken

Get on your knees and dig down deep

You can do what you think is impossible

Keep on believing, don't give in

It'll come and make you whole again

It always will, it always does

Love is unstoppable

Like a river keeps on rolling

Like the north wind blowing

Don't it feel good knowing

Yeah

CHORUS

You find your faith has been lost and shaken

You take back what's been taken

Get on your knees and dig down deep

You can do what you think is impossible

Keep on believing, don't give in

It'll come and make you whole again

It always will, it always does

Love is unstoppable

Love is unstoppable

So you made a lot of mistakes

Walked down the road a little sideways

Love, love is unstoppable

At Texas Road House for Lauren's 21st Birthday! I requested every single Rascal Flatts song I could on the juke box behind me. :)

Halloween

Halloween this year was a blast!! A group of friends and I went up my aunt and uncle's house in Salt Lake to be in their spook alley, a fun haunted house in their basement. It was legit and sooo much fun! There was a Harry Potter room, Pirates of the Caribbean room, Star Wars room, and Indiana Jones room. And of course we got to eat DELICIOUS homemade food thanks to aunt Cammy. I loved seeing all my cousins and getting lots of hugs. I also went to our ward Halloween party dressed with my roomies as Powerangers! It was soo much fun and our costumes were legit! I was the pink Poweranger, Kim. I also taught Sunday School on Halloween and it went alright. The candy I gave out was a big hit so that was good. haha. Overall, it was a exciting weekend and I decided I really like Halloween EXCEPT for watching scary movies. I could be just fine in life without watching scary movies ever again.

Cooking Habits

For some reason this year has been really hard as far as being willing to take the time to cook. I think it may have to do with the fact that I have no real time and am completely content with cereal most nights. I really do like to cook though when I have the time. I may not be the best, but I have a few favorite recipes. I need to make a collection of recipes that I can make in 20 minutes though. Cooking would probably get done a lot more with that. There was a unique time in my life when I thought about being a chef and own my own catering business. That didn't last very long when I realized I would probably eat all the food I made, making myself fat, and cooking gets tiring after awhile. On my bucket list I have a goal to take a cake decorating class one day though. I think that would be really fun. So here's a new goal: make one legit meal every week. Now this may seem stupid to all those moms out there, but I'm not a mom yet. Maybe next month it'll be two meals a week. We'll see!

This is what happens when Lauren and I cook together!

Friends

I'm really grateful for wonderful friends in my life. Sometimes its hard to be away from family so much, but my friends definitely make life that much better. They listen to me about everything (or at least they pretend to) and give me advice on just about anything. Lauren, especially, has been a wonderful roommate and deals with all my imperfections daily and still loves me. I'm definitely the messy one of the two of us. I love spending time with people that make me laugh. (except for when Chelsey makes me silent laugh...horrible) The best memories of my college experience has been when I'm dying laughing. I absolutely love it when Lauren goes to the dentist to get her cavities filled or when Chelsey and I people watch. I love the friends that tell me the truth and give me hugs or notes just because. I am so blessed to have so many wonderful friends that make college one of the greatest experiences of my life.

Owwie

I officially hate injuries. I am so injury prone, its ridiculous. I rolled my ankle again and yes its the same one I had surgery on almost 6 months ago. I just hurt it in a different way. Now I have to wear my ankle brace ALL the time. I'm pretty sure I'll have to wear an ankle brace for the rest of my life at this rate. Maybe I should just ask for a new ankle for Christmas...if only. Then there's this new injury, also on the left side of my body. The ever wonderful shoulder that I now causes me more stress then just trying to find clothes to fit it. I hurt my bicep tendon or something....I don't know exactly how its hurt, ask Leslie, my wonderful trainer. So lifting things like heavy backpacks, high fives, or swimming hurt. Yay I feel like an old person!!! :( This is me venting starting and stopping here. Thank you ever so handy blog. May my future days be painless.

Pancakes

Recently I forgot how much I absolutely LOVE pancakes. Not just the add water to the batter kind and get a soft, bread like substance...but real pancakes. The kind that when you spread butter or honey on them, it just melts before your eyes and slides down the side. The kind that makes your mouth water before they're even cooked all the way in the pan. The kind that buddies up with syrup with such beautiful composition. So last night I had a pancake craving. Kilee magically had wonderful pancake powder stuff that was sent straight from heaven. A few eggs, oil, and water later....the craving was satisfied along with the rest of the apartment that soon became addicted to the scent. Breakfast should be served anytime of day. Those restaurants that only serve breakfast til 10 are making a big mistake. 9:30 at night is a great time for pancakes and might even be better than 9:30 in the morning. However, I'd like to publicly apologize to Fred (Lauren's friend) who somehow ate a piece of plastic along with his pancake. No idea how that got there.